


Nancy's New Neighbors

by RebelStoryTeller



Category: Fancy Nancy Series - Jane O'Connor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27721460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelStoryTeller/pseuds/RebelStoryTeller
Summary: A new family has moved to the neighborhood all the way from Historic Calais France
Relationships: Friends - Relationship





	Nancy's New Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> The information Noelle gives Nancy and her friends is copied from a wikipedia article about Hanukkah as I'm not Jewish and know nothing about Hanukkah.
> 
> This is the page I copied the information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
> 
> Also I have no idea if kids born during Hanukkah celebrate their birthdays during that time as I said, I'm learning as I write this story as I'm not Jewish, I'm Anglican.

I **t was a cold and snowy early Sunday morning in early December and the house down the street from the Clancy's on Oak Street was bustling with activity of movers unloading moving trucks and while the neighborhood kids were still asleep, six new kids were busily and hurriedly upstairs unpacking the boxes that were frequently brought in by the hired moving company while being closely supervised by their mother who had a cranky, fussing six week old baby in a carrier strapped across her chest and their father who was having a hard time corralling his four overly hyper three year old daughters while ensuring that all boxes belonging to the first floor rooms were placed in the correct room.**  
  
 **Finally at just past eight o'clock in the morning the final moving bins were taken upstairs and distributed to the six bedrooms that were partially unpacked, trucks cleaned and driven out of the driveway.**  
  
 **Thankfully beds, desktop computers,TV's, laptops, stereos and furniture were already set up ahead of time so all that remained were the bins of clothes, toys, books and their vast collections of Blu-Rays, DVD's and various types of video games, just as they opened the very last bin filled with clothes, the sun started breaking through the clouds and the rain finally stopped.**  
  
 **However their mother was still trying to get the younger four girls to start unpacking their shared room continually shouting** 'Michelle, Tracey, Alicia and Nicole come on girls, you haven't even touched your bedroom! Alicia do NOT even entertain the idea of going out that door with no coat on! Michelle get your behind back in this house! Tracey, no do NOT write on the walls unless it's on the shelving paper that's taped to the wall! Nicole leave the animals alone! Get your butts upstairs! NOW! MARCH!'  
  
 **That's how their entire morning went, the older kids continued unpacking bins full of clothes, putting clothes into dresser drawers, their armoires and the girls hanging skirts, jumpers, various sports uniforms and dresses on hangers into their closets six inches apart on the rack as neat and tidy as possible to avoid their little sisters ripping their clothes off the rack and tossing them on the floor making them pick the clothes up and rehang them.**  
  
 **All this can be attributed to their excitement about living in a new house but boy oh boy it got tiring after the first fifteen times they did it in each room before they were finally called downstairs as lunch had arrived and a picnic blanket had been spread on the floor with small pizza boxes with each child's name on the lid to avoid confusion and sturdy strong paper plates were set infront of Michelle, Tracey, Alicia and Nicole with generous helpings of boneless, skinless, sauce-less chicken tenders of which, midway through eating, they fell asleep.**  
  
 **René heaves a sigh saying:** At LAST! They're asleep! I was beginning to think this was never going to happen!  
  
 **Aramis:** You and me both! I'm just glad we have a rumpus room already set up to occupy them after their nap! Are you four almost done unpacking your rooms?  
  
 **Noelle heaves a sigh saying:** I would have been if it weren't for typhoons Michelle, Tracey, Alicia and Nicole! At least they didn't break anything valuable and irreplaceable! Other than that, it's kinda hard to unpack anything else requiring two hands with a cast on your arm!  
  
 **René unstraps little Micah from her chest, lays him on his back in his playpen and says:** I'll come help you finish unpacking your bins Noelle.   
  
**Art:** My room's all done, I'll come help you unpack your stuff and get things situated.  
  
 **Raphael:** My room's done as well, I'll help you out finishing unpacking.  
  
 **Ascelina closes the lid to her pizza box saying:** I'll come help as well since my stuff is all put away for the third time. What needs to get done in your room?  
  
 **Noelle:** Clothes need to get hung back up, shoes put back on the shoe rack, books on the book cases, thankfully they never got to my laptop that's on my desk, my bed needs to be re-made after they jumped on it, pictures, awards, medals and framed certificates need to be hung on the walls again and trophies need to be put on the shelves. My inspiration, postcard, thought and photo boards all need to be hung on the wall, my antique dolls from around the world need to be put back in their glass display case and all my figurines need to be put in their glass display case as well then it's mostly just my posters that need to get hung up before typhoons Michelle, Tracey, Alicia and Nicole wake up from nap time! My design corner is already set up and waiting for me to use it. I can't wait to get this clunker off my arm!  
  
 **René hears her cell phone ring and answers it saying:** Hello? Yes this is René d'Bragelonne speaking. Oh hello Doctor North! You'd like to see Noelle in four hours to do xrays, an MRI and remove her cast at the Pediatric Hospital's Ambulatory Care? Mais oui! I've yet to get their health cards updated with new information but one of us will have Noelle there to see you for X-Rays, MRI and cast removal in two hours. Alright **(whispers to Aramis)** _pen and paper quick!_  
  
 **Aramis hands René a pen and note pad saying to Noelle:** Go get your coat and boots on Noelle. Sounds like you've got an appointment at the Children's Hospital.  
  
 **Noelle stands up and heads to the front foyer to get her new winter coat out from the closet that had her scarf and long tailed hat stuffed in the right sleeve, pulled them out pulling her long tailed hat down over her ball cap, wound her scarf around her neck and with Art's help got her new winter jacket on and zipped up and slid her feet into her new winter boots, opens the front door and heads outside to the her dad's car that was already running where she waited for her mom to come out only to be surprised when her dad came out saying:** I thought mom was taking me to the hospital  
  
 **Aramis heaves a sigh saying:** Unfortunately, the quads woke up earlier than anticipated and she gave me the folder with everything in it and your health and insurance cards. So hop in the front seat and I'll buckle you in. **(Opens the front passenger door, and helps Noelle to climb in and straps her in saying)** Thankfully you no longer need the booster seat since you can see over the dash board now. **(Closes the passenger door and heads around the front of the car to the driver's side, opens the door, slides in, buckles up, shuts the door and pulls out of the driveway before the front door could open saying)** So the cast hopefully finally comes off today!  
  
 **Noelle heaves a relieved sigh saying:** Yes and I can't wait! **(Notices a little girl wearing a purple hat and coat playing with several other kids then says to her dad)** Huh wonder who they are?  
  
 **Aramis glances at the clock on the dashboard and out the window at the kids heading towards the car and says:** Looks like you're about to find out kiddo. How about I run to the grocery store to get something for supper while you make friends?  
  
 **Noelle:** Uhh papa, they want me there early to register, it's not only x-rays but also an MRI then possibly cast removal.  
  
 **Aramis:** Oops that's right! I totally spaced! So say hi to them and then tell them you'll see them later. Don't forget to tell them your name and where we live. **(Rolls down the passenger side window so Noelle could hear and speak to the other kids)**  
  
 **Nancy approaches the car and says in between chattering teeth:** B-Bonjour mon nom est beurre de cacahuète et confiture sur pain perdu  
  
 **Noelle in perfect french:** Bonjour mon nom est Noelle d'Bragelonne. J'ai onz ans, je suis de Calais France. Mon livre préféré est Les Trois Mousquetaires d'Alexander Dumai. J'ai lu la moitié du livre. Comment allez-vous le beurre d'arachide et la confiture sur du pain grillé? Voici mon père Aramis d’Bragelonne  
  
 **Bree:** WOW! Nancy she speaks better French then you do!  
  
 **Nancy:** Oh no! What did I say?  
  
 **Noelle:** You just introduced yourself as peanut butter and jam on French toast. Better brush up on Primary Conversational French mademoiselle. Word on the street is you have a Conversational French Test in school tomorrow morning.  
  
 **Nancy:** Oh no! It's horrible! I had forgotten all about that test! Oh impossible! How can I expect to pass that test if I don't study?!   
  
**Noelle:** Ne me demandez pas comment vous comptez réussir votre test de français conversationnel si vous n’étudiez pas et mémorisez quelques phrases. Si tu as besoin d’aide, passe chez moi plus tard cet après-midi et mes frères et sœurs et je t’aiderai. Après tout, nous parlons français à la maison tout le temps. Pour l’instant, j’ai un rendez-vous à l’hôpital pour une radiographie suivie d’une IRM puis d’un retrait du plâtre..  
  
 **Nancy completely lost says:** Excuse me?  
  
 **Noelle switches to English saying:** Don't ask me how you plan to pass your conversational French test if you don't study and memorize a few sentences. If you need help, come by my house later this afternoon and my siblings and I will help you. After all, we speak conversational French at home all the time. For now I have an appointment at the hospital for an X-ray followed by an MRI and then a removal of the cast.  
  
 **Lionel finally notices Noelle's signature filled cast and says:** WOW! Look at all those signatures!  
  
 **Grace notices two familiar signatures and says:** No! No way! How did you get Marinette and Robert du Vallon's signatures on your cast?! **(Notices Lance and Natasha Chevallier's signatures right beside Collette and Rockne d'Aramis and Stacie and Logan d'Bragelonne's signature beside a few famous professional French Cuts and Models saying)** Omigosh! Omigosh! How did you score signatures from Lance and Natasha Chevallier, Collette and Rockne d'Aramis, Stacie and Logan d'Bragelonne?!  
  
 **Noelle:** Marinette is my dad's sister and married to Robbie who is my mom's best friend making them my paternal aunt and uncle. Lance and Natasha are my maternal aunt and uncle, Collette and Rocky are my maternal aunt and uncle, Stacie and Logan are my other paternal aunt and uncle.  
  
 **Aramis notices the time and says:** Oooh sorry folks but we've gotta run! Need to be at the hospital with enough time to get checked in through the screening process, get registered and fill out a few forms for insurance. So Noelle will see you guys later! **(Rolls up Noelle's window and drives off)**  
  
 **Bree turns to a shell shocked Nancy and says:** Nancy, are you alright? You look shell shocked  
  
 **Nancy:** I-I-I'm mortified! I introduced myself as peanut butter and jam on French Toast to a girl from Paris France  
  
 **Grace:** Nancy, she's not from Paris France, weren't you listening to her when she said where she's from?  
  
 **Nancy:** Not from Paris France? Then where is she from? Mars?!  
  
 **Bree:** Nancy, Noelle clearly said she's from Calais France  
  
 **Doug calls out:** NANCY! LUNCH TIME!  
  
 **Bree/Rhonda/Wanda/Grace/Lionel:** See you guys after lunch!  
  
 **Nancy heads towards her house muttering:** Calais?! Where in the world is Calais?! **(walks up the back steps into her house and says)** Dad, do we have an up-to-date Atlas of the world?! **(Removes her hat, scarf, coat and gloves then hangs them up and removes her wet boots and heads to the table for pancakes saying)** Smells good mom! Hot cocoa and pancakes! **(Watches as her mom put a plate of freshly made pancakes drowning in syrup and a cup of steaming hot freshly made hot cocoa and begins eating)**  
  
 **Doug:** Yes we do why?  
  
 **Nancy swallows the pancake in her mouth with a drink of hot cocoa and swallows saying:** I need to know if there's really such a Historic Place as Calais!  
  
 **Claire goes into the library, picks up her tablet, turns it on, taps the 3D World Map app to open it, then types in Calais France then hits the go button then takes it out to the kitchen, sets it on the counter and says to Nancy:** Here you go. Everything you need to know about Historical Calais France.  
  
 **Nancy looks at the screen and says:** Sacrebleu! There really is such a place! I thought she was making it up! What about a book by someone Dumais?! Something to do with guards protecting the king of France as if there's really a book about four people trying to protect France!  
  
 **Doug:** Ahh she's reading The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumai. How old is she?  
  
 **Nancy silently counts to nine in French then translates it into English saying:** She said she's eleven years old. The front of her coat looked funny  
  
 **Claire:** Ooh boy. Nancy I think it's time you were introduced to an upcoming time of your life called Puberty. However before that, what is her name? We can't keep calling the poor girl 'her'.  
  
 **Nancy recalls what the new girl said her name was and says:** Noelle d'Bragelonne. I'm one hundred percent certain 'Noelle ' is simply a name made up on the spot!  
  
 **Doug:** Noelle is the female version of Noel. Where do they live Nancy Pants? What's her dad's name?  
  
 **Nancy:** Where Clarice DuPort used to live before she moved to San Diego over the Spring. I think she said Aramis d'Bragelonne  
  
 **Doug picks up the tablet, opens the web browser search engine and types in Aramis d'Bragelonne and nearly drops the tablet saying:** Uhh Nancy Pants, you know that young figure skater you look up to so much because of how graceful she is and that other girl who you say dances like an angel?  
  
 **Nancy:** Yes, why?  
  
 **Doug turns the tablet around and shows Nancy a photo from the previous year's International Youth Figure Skating Competition and says:** Is this the girl you were talking to in the car? **(Shows Nancy a full size photo of Noelle saying)** That is Noelle d'Bragelonne all the way from Historical Calais France.  
  
 **Nancy in awe says:** My idols live here?! In my neighborhood!? I made a faux pas infront of my idol?!  
  
 **Claire:** What faux pas did you make Nancy?  
  
 **Nancy:** I was so cold that I introduced myself as peanut butter and jam on French Toast instead of Nancy Clancy. I guess I didn't realize just _how_ cold I was from being outside all day until I said B-Bonjour mon nom est beurre de cacahuète et confiture sur pain perdu. Basically Hello, my name is peanut butter and jam on French Toast.  
  
 **Doug:** Could be worse! The first time I tried introducing myself to a foreign exchange student from Italy in High School, I said my name was mashed potatoes with eggs and gravy. Thankfully she thought it was hilarious I introduced myself as mashed potatoes with eggs and gravy! She spoke English and Italian very well and helped me correct my introductions.  
  
 **Claire:** I once introduced myself to a Spanish exchange student as Apple Strudel with whipped cream and maple syrup. I was beyond mortified, the Spanish exchange student politely corrected me and tutored me for that day's Spanish exam that I passed yet she was excused from the test since she spoke fluent Spanish and already had the highest mark in the class. As for the difference in the top of her coat, I think it's time JoJo went down for a nap.  
  
 **Doug sweeps up JoJo saying:** Nap-time for you JoJo! ( **Heads up the kitchen stairs to the bedrooms leaving Claire to talk to Nancy)**  
  
 **Claire:** So now that JoJo has been taken for a nap, tell me Nancy what was so different about the front of Noelle's coat that has you bothered?  
  
 **Nancy thinks back to when she first noticed Noelle's coat and says:** It was sort of pushed out away from her front and the way the sides of her coat were oddly shaped  
  
 **Clair:** In what way?  
  
 **Nancy:** Sort of like your top mom and the way your coat clings to you  
  
 **Clair:** Ahhh I understand now! You said Noelle is eleven?  
  
 **Nancy:** Yes! That's right!  
  
 **Claire:** Nancy, Noelle has already entered into the next phase of her life: puberty and maturation. She's probably already started maturing into a young woman and started her menstrual cycle. It's nothing to worry about, Noelle's growing up into a young lady in a new country far from her homeland. She's from Historic Calais France, born and bred there and now she has to start all over again in a new place where nothing is familiar to her and her friends are all back in Calais. There will come a time Nancy, when the magic of childhood will fade into memory and be replaced by the wonders of your pre-teen and teen years. In six years time, you'll say good bye Elementary School Drama and hello New High School Experiences. That's four years of more drama than you can shake a stick at and after four years in High School, I'll be saying good bye to you as you head out the door to College. Then in a blink of another eye, JoJo will be getting her High School Diploma, going off to College and who knows? Possibly she'll find a nice man to date,get engaged to and eventually marry and produce children with. The samething will eventually happen to you Nancy, you'll go from little girl in elementary school to young lady in High School and early College to a full woman out on your own exploring the world down whatever path you decide to blaze with whatever degree from whatever program you chose to pursue through College and University, then when the time is right and you start dating a nice young man, there will come a time when he'll come to your dad and ask for your hand in marriage and you'll be starting off on a new adventure of starting your new married life and planning on if you do or don't want children right away.

**A Half Hour Later**

**Aramis pulls into his driveway saying to Noelle:** Home again home again.  
  
 **Noelle:** Now to go back upstairs and try to finish putting things away before the hurricanes decide to blow through and try to trash things again like they've been doing all day! **(Unbuckles her seat belt, opens her door and steps out remembering something and says)** Oh shoot! That girl who butchered her French and friends are supposed to be coming over for a tutoring session for their French Test tomorrow.  
  
 **René comes to the front screen door and says:** That girl you were talking to earlier is already here in the Library with your siblings being tutored if you want to join them.  
  
 **Noelle heads inside where she slips her feet out of her boots and into her shoes then takes her game out of her coat pocket, sets it on the table then hangs up her coat stuffing her hat and scarf in the sleeve then grabs her game off the table and heads to the study where she opens the door, slips in and shuts it behind her setting her game on the table**  
  
 **Ascelina looks up and says:** Hey your cast is off!  
  
 **Noelle:** Finally! I start Physio in the New Year with the doctor that called here yesterday. How's the tutoring going?  
  
 **Ascelina:** They're getting the hang of the advanced stuff that probably either will or won't be on their test tomorrow. They're done, right now Nancy's trying to figure out where our Christmas Decorations are so she can come over and help put them up. 

**Noelle heaves a sigh saying:** Let me guess, she's not listening to you when you say we're Jewish.

 **Ascelina:** No one can get a word in edgewise!

 **Noelle:** Wanna bet? I can get her to zip her lip, put her butt to the seat and listen hard! Don't forget that's how I shut down the noise in class before we moved! **(Heads into the Play Room and is greeted by Nancy peppering her with questions)**

 **Nancy:** Noelle, where are your Christmas Decorations?! We'll help you to put them up! It doesn't say Christmas until you put up the Christmas Decorations! Just point

 **Noelle:** Do me a favor?

 **Nancy:** Yeah sure what?

 **Noelle:** PARK IT IN A CHAIR,CLOSE YOUR MOUTH, TURN OFF YOUR BRAIN, OPEN YOUR EARS,LISTEN AND LEARN SOMETHING!

**Nancy/Bree/Lionel/Wanda/Rhonda/Grace all drop into their chairs stunned**

**Noelle:** Finally! We don't celebrate Christmas. Never have never will, both my parents families are Jewish which means we Celebrate the Miracle of the Oil that lasted for eight days known as Hannukkah. _That_ is why we don't have any Christmas Decorations. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah or hanukkiah. One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. This unique candle is called the shamash. Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. Other Hanukkah festivities include singing Hanukkah songs, playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods, such as latkes and sufganiyot, and dairy foods. This year it's Sunset on December 10 –nightfall, December 18, if you'd like, you can come over and learn about our religion.

 **Nancy:** What are lakes?

 **Noelle:** Potato pancakes made with grated potatoes, butter, flour and milk mixed together. We also have a variety of sufganiyots, fritas de prasa, sfinj, cassola, and shamlias! We also play Dreidel and get traditional Hannukkah Gelt err money. 

**Grace:** What problem?

 **Art heaves a sigh saying:** We were born on the fifth of July, thank the stars!

 **Nancy:** No birthday party?

 **Lionel:** No birthday cake?

 **Grace:** No birthday gifts?

 **Wanda:** No birthday decorations?

 **Rhonda:** Nothing?

 **Ascelina:** We're kidding! Of course we celebrate birthdays during Chanukkah! We have two older sibling both born during Chanukkah! Ethan was born on the first day of Chanukkah and Rei-Anne was born on the last day of Chanukkah! Since we've moved here from France, we're actually being allowed to invite other kids that aren't on a list our grandmothers have created a year in advance. Last year's birthday was out of this world! I had just learned that I was accepted to a Prestigious Ballet School on a full ride, Noelle was accepted into a Prestigious Figure Skating School full ride, Raph was accepted to a prestigious Art School on a full ride scholarship and Art was accepted into the most prestigious Tech School full ride. Unfortunately since we moved here, we're under review as to whether or not we still qualify to keep our Scholarships or if we have to forfeit them all because we left France so our parents could move further ahead in their careers.

 **Noelle:** Now,now we know _why_ we're under review! Neither grandmother approves of us being out of Calais. I could careless if I were to be told my Figure Skating Scholarship was revoked! My Hockey Sponsorships will more than pay for College and University. Matters not to me if they pull funding. Besides it's not like I _want_ to figure skate the rest of my life, nor does Ascelina want to study ballet for the rest of her life. We want to explore other things and see what other things we can do. I love painting, writing and riding horses but ever since this global pandemic hit back in March, it's kinda been hard to do anything. I was supposed to be in Italy right now at the World Junior Figure Skating Championship Finals, but that's not happening so I don't get my do over. I _know_ I won't be able to participate in the same age range next year as I'll be twelve and in the teen category. Anyways, I _think_ we'll be celebrating Chanukkah, I have absolutely no idea of what we're doing this year. As you could pretty much tell, we're still unpacking things.

 **Grace:** Can we see your shared bedroom?

 **Acelina:** Uh we don't share a room. 

**Rhonda:** Wait,

 **Wanda:** You don't share a room?!

 **Noelle:** No, not since we were toddlers  
  
 **Wanda:** From the outside it looks like this is only a five bedroom house.

 **Lina:** Looks can be deceiving. See this book case here?

 **Nancy:** Very nice, very sturdy book case filled with lots of different books

 **Raph:** Push the Titanic's bow forward then step back

 **Nancy pushes the Titanic's bow forward and steps back watching as a hidden stair case is revealed saying:** Sacre Bleu! A hidden stair case!

 **Bree:** But where does it go?

 **Grace:** Can we find out?

 **Noelle:** Be our guest go on and climb that staircase. We just need to stop in the kitchen then we'll be on up. **(Watches as their new younger friends head up the hidden stair case and says)** Let's head to the kitchen and find out if we're doing Christmas or Chanukkah this year. **(Exits the play room with her siblings and head to the kitchen to grab snacks saying to their dad as they enter)** Are we doing Christmas or Chanukkah this year dad?

 **Aramis:** Both actually. Thought it'd be interesting to celebrate both holidays this year now that we don't have to write a detailed essay about why we want to do certain things anymore.

 **Lina:** Cool, it'd be interesting to Celebrate Christmas and Chanukkah. We'd best get going upstairs before the others get there before us.


End file.
